The coach joined the debate on what should be the headquarters of the tricolor in the Qualifiers.
In a chat with ESPN F90, Pinto recalled that Colombian players have complained about the heat in Barranquilla and mentioned that coming from Europe, Bogotá would be the ideal “home” for the National Team.
“I’ve been thinking the same since then,” Pinto recalled about his experience with the National Team. “Bogotá is the ideal place for Colombia, especially given the context of the players who are in Europe, where winter is longer and 90% of the players are there.”
The coach recalled that “Many complained about the heat in Barranquilla” and made it clear that the Metropolitan continues to be a “great place” but that the FCF should reconsider a change of venue. “That does not mean that Barranquilla is not a great place, I consider that the conditions for an Elimination phase with players from Europe are in Bogotá.”
It should be remembered that Bogotá was the first venue of the tricolor in the Qualifiers for Sweden 1957. Then, it played the qualifiers for Mexico 1970, Germany 1974, Argentina 1978, Spain 1982, a part of Mexico 1986, Korea and Japan 2002 and the initial phase of South Africa 2010.
And although he did not qualify in any of them, many insist that it should be seen as the new “home of the National Team”, thinking of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Pinto joined the controversy and made his position clear.
